SR 18: requesting the hawaiʻi health Systems Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional health care system to conduct a feasibility study on establishing a Rural Health Clinic or comparable rural health access point to serve the volcano community.

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	18
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the hawaiʻi health Systems Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional health care system to conduct a feasibility study on establishing a Rural Health Clinic or comparable rural health access point to serve the volcano community.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional Health Care System (HHSC East Hawaiʻi Region) operates the Hilo Medical Center, Kaʻū Hospital, and its Rural Health Clinic, Hale Hoʻola Hamakua, and a network of East Hawaiʻi Health Clinics that together provide essential medical services to communities across East Hawaiʻi; and

 

     WHEREAS, the long-standing designation of the Kaʻū Hospital as a Critical Access Hospital and the establishment of its Medicare-certified Rural Health Clinic have enabled the HHSC East Hawaiʻi Region to expand primary care access to rural communities while strengthening the region's financial stability and provider recruitment capacity; and

 

     WHEREAS, the community of Volcano, located between the districts of Puna and Kaʻū, remains one of the largest rural population centers on Hawaiʻi Island that is without direct access to primary care services, emergency stabilization capacity, or a locally based medical provider; and

 

     WHEREAS, the community of Volcano's geographic isolation, distance from Hilo and Kaʻū hospitals, increased wildfire risks, volcanic-related hazards, and limited transportation options create chronic barriers to timely health care access for residents; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Volcano Community Association (VCA) recently completed a Medical and Health Care Services Needs Assessment, which identified the development of a clinic offering primary and other health care services as a long-term need for the area due to its aging population, rural character, and anticipated population growth; and

 

     WHEREAS, the VCA's Medical and Health Care Services Needs Assessment further identified the recruitment of a part-time primary care provider who could establish medical services in the Volcano community at least two days per week as a short-term goal; and

 

     WHEREAS, the VCA has expressed strong willingness to partner with the HHSC East Hawaiʻi Region to identify potential clinic sites, coordinate community outreach, support provider recruitment, and assist with long-term planning efforts; and

 

     WHEREAS, the purpose of the Volcano Health Collaborative is to improve the health status of residents of the community of Volcano and its neighboring communities by increasing the accessibility of quality, affordable medical and associated health care; and

 

     WHEREAS, Volcano Village and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park receive millions of visitors annually, dramatically increasing the volume of people passing through the area and creating a heightened need for accessible medical services to respond to visitor injuries, respiratory distress, and other urgent needs arising from outdoor and volcanic-environment exposure; and

 

     WHEREAS, emergency medical services for the Volcano area are currently located within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and operated out of Kīlauea Military Camp, serving both residents and the substantial visitor population, further underscoring the need for a dedicated community-based health care access point in the Volcano community; and

 

     WHEREAS, establishing a Rural Health Clinic in the Volcano community, whether permanent, mobile, or hybrid, would strengthen the overall East Hawaiʻi rural health network, support the Kaʻū Hospital in its role as a Critical Access Hospital serving remote communities, and improve health outcomes for both residents and visitors; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional Health Care System is requested to conduct a feasibility study on establishing a Rural Health Clinic or comparable rural health access point to serve the Volcano community; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the HHSC East Hawaiʻi Region is requested to examine the following in its feasibility study:

 

     (1)  Potential sites within Volcano Village or adjacent areas for a clinic or satellite office;

 

     (2)  Operational models, including part-time provider service, mobile-clinic deployment, telehealth integration, or co-location with existing community facilities;

 

     (3)  Staffing requirements, including short-term options for providing primary-care services at least two days per week;

 

     (4)  Start-up and ongoing costs, including eligibility for rural health clinic reimbursement and other federal rural-access funding;

 

     (5)  Opportunities for partnership with the Volcano Community Association, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, local nonprofits, organizations, and educational or medical-training institutions; and

 

     (6)  Potential benefits to emergency response, chronic disease management, and visitor-safety services; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the HHSC East Hawaiʻi Region is requested to submit the completed feasibility study; its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation; and an implementation timeline to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation, Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional Health Care System, Superintendent of the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, President of the Volcano Community Association, and President of the Volcano Health Collaborative.

 

Report Title: 

Volcano; HHSC East Hawaii; Rural Health Clinic; Feasibility Study

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	18
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the hawaiʻi health Systems Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional health care system to conduct a feasibility study on establishing a Rural Health Clinic or comparable rural health access point to serve the volcano community.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional Health Care System (HHSC East Hawaiʻi Region) operates the Hilo Medical Center Kaʻū Hospital, Rural Health Clinic, Hale Hoʻola Hamakua, and a network of East Hawaiʻi Health Clinics that together provide essential medical services to communities across East Hawaiʻi; and

 

     WHEREAS, the long-standing designation of the Kaʻū Hospital as a Critical Access Hospital and the establishment of its Medicare-certified Rural Health Clinic have enabled the HHSC East Hawaiʻi Region to expand primary-care access to rural communities while strengthening the region's financial stability and provider recruitment capacity; and

 

     WHEREAS, the community of Volcano, located between the districts of Puna and Kaʻū, remains one of the largest rural population centers on Hawaiʻi Island that is without direct access to primary‑care services, emergency stabilization capacity, or a locally‑based medical provider; and

 

     WHEREAS, the community of Volcano's geographic isolation, distance from Hilo and Kaʻū hospitals, increased wildfire risks, volcanic-related hazards, and limited transportation options create chronic barriers to timely health care access for residents; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Volcano Community Association (VCA) recently completed a Medical and Health Care Services Needs Assessment, which identified the development of a clinic offering primary and other health care services as a long-term need for the area due to its aging population, rural character, and anticipated population growth; and

 

     WHEREAS, the VCA's Medical and Health Care Services Needs Assessment further identified the recruitment of a part-time primary care provider who could establish medical services in the Volcano community at least two days per week as a short-term goal; and

 

     WHEREAS, the VCA has expressed strong willingness to partner with the HHSC East Hawaiʻi Region to identify potential clinic sites, coordinate community outreach, support provider recruitment, and assist with long-term planning efforts; and

 

     WHEREAS, the purpose of the Volcano Health Collaborative is to improve the health status of residents of the community of Volcano and its neighboring communities by increasing the accessibility of quality, affordable medical and associated health care; and

 

     WHEREAS, Volcano Village and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park receive millions of visitors annually, dramatically increasing the volume of people passing through the area and creating a heightened need for accessible medical services to respond to visitor injuries, respiratory distress, and other urgent needs arising from outdoor and volcanic-environment exposure; and

 

     WHEREAS, emergency medical services for the Volcano area are currently located within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and operated out of Kīlauea Military Camp, serving both residents and the substantial visitor population, further underscoring the need for a dedicated community-based health care access point in the Volcano community; and

 

     WHEREAS, establishing a Rural Health Clinic in the Volcano community, whether permanent, mobile, or hybrid, would strengthen the overall East Hawaiʻi rural health network, support the Kaʻū Hospital in its role as a Critical Access Hospital serving remote communities, and improve health outcomes for both residents and visitors; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional Health Care System (HHSC East Hawaiʻi Region) is requested to conduct a feasibility study on establishing a Rural Health Clinic or comparable rural health access point to serve the Volcano community; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the HHSC East Hawaiʻi Region is requested to examine the following in its feasibility study:

 

     (1)  Potential sites within Volcano Village or adjacent areas for a clinic or satellite office;

 

     (2)  Operational models, including part-time provider service, mobile-clinic deployment, telehealth integration, or co-location with existing community facilities;

 

     (3)  Staffing requirements, including short-term options for providing primary-care services at least two days per week;

 

     (4)  Start-up and ongoing costs, including eligibility for rural health clinic reimbursement and other federal rural-access funding;

 

     (5)  Opportunities for partnership with the Volcano Community Association, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, local nonprofits, organizations, and educational or medical-training institutions; and

 

     (6)  Potential benefits to emergency response, chronic disease management, and visitor-safety services; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the HHSC East Hawaiʻi Region is requested to submit the completed feasibility study; its findings and recommendations, including any propose legislation; and an implementation timeline to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation, Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional Health Care System, Superintendent of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, President of Volcano Community Association, President of the Volcano Community Association, and President of the Volcano Health Collaborative.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

 

Report Title: 

Volcano; HHSC East Hawaii; Rural Health Clinic; Feasibility Study